The invention is related to a connector in which a female type terminal (F-terminal), into which a male type terminal (M-terminal) is inserted and detached, is surely engaged to a resin connector housing with a simple structure and high engagement force.
The F-terminal is engaged with the resin connector housing as a base for the connector when the female type connector is used. An engagement structure of the F-terminal with the connector housing is important to improve reliability of the connector.
There are two types of such engagement structures. The first type is a terminal lance structure in which a detent so called lance is provided on the F-terminal itself. The second type is a case lance structure in which a detent is provided in the connector housing. In view of reliability, the case lance structure is dominant.
Above mentioned “lance” is a terminology in the field of the invention. “lance” means a member for engagement with elasticity.
As an example of a connector adopting the case lance structure, a terminal clasp and a connector preferable for miniaturization are described in JP-2004-14305A.
The connector shown in JP-2004-14305A includes a connector housing having terminal accommodating spaces (cavities) provided on upper and lower stages and arranged in a width direction, and a plurality of F-terminal each of which is engaged with a drop prevention part (lance) when the F-terminal is inserted into the space from back side of the space. A cut out portion is provided on an outside wall of the F-terminal so as to allow the drop prevention portion in the connector housing to advance, and an engagement protrusion engaging with the drop prevention portion is formed by outwardly protruding a part of a cutting front edge of the cut out portion.
The drop prevention portion in the connector housing is a lance which protrudes from a bottom inner wall of the cavity and is elastically deformable.
According to the connector described in JP-2004-14305A, when the F-terminal for inserting the M-terminal is mounted in the resin connector housing, the F-terminal is engaged within the connector housing by advancing the lance that is elastically deformable in the connector housing into the cut out portion provided on the outside wall of the F-terminal by using elastic force of the resin.
However, the more the miniaturization of the connector housing develops, the more the pitch of adjacent cavities becomes narrow. As a result, a width of the lance provided in the connector housing becomes narrow. Therefore, the engagement force of the lance to engage the F-terminal within the connector housing is lowered due to lack of strength of the lance.
Accordingly, a connector in which a F-terminal into which a M-terminal is inserted and detached is surely engaged to a resin connector housing with a simple structure and high engagement force is required.